


A Gift

by softginge



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 04:56:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10564053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softginge/pseuds/softginge
Summary: He’d woken up early, last minute preparations needing to be done so that things went smoothly. Not that Armin thought they wouldn’t. Sasha had helped him find the right ingredients to make a cake, Mikasa had taken a ride into town with him to find a present, and Connie along with Eren had managed to keep Jean away from everything they were doing so things would be a surprise. He knew it was silly. Celebrating a birthday and wasting supplies that could be used for more important matters. But he’d gotten the permission from the commander about it all. Plus he figured it was worth it. With all the trouble that seemed to happen lately, celebrating another year of living was important.





	

**Author's Note:**

> contains minor spoiler mentioning. so if you are an anime only watcher and don't know what's going on past the first episode of season two, you've been warned. otherwise, i hope you enjoy this. jean deserves a lot of love. happy birthday jeanbo! ♡♡

He’d woken up early, last minute preparations needing to be done so that things went smoothly. Not that Armin thought they wouldn’t. Sasha had helped him find the right ingredients to make a cake, Mikasa had taken a ride into town with him to find a present, and Connie along with Eren had managed to keep Jean away from everything they were doing so things would be a surprise. He knew it was silly. Celebrating a birthday and wasting supplies that could be used for more important matters. But he’d gotten the permission from the commander about it all. Plus he figured it was worth it. With all the trouble that seemed to happen lately, celebrating another year of living was important.

Warmth spread through Armin’s entire being the moment he stepped beyond the front door of HQ. Winter was finally beginning to melt away allowing spring to finally blossom. A smile spreads over the boy’s face as he happily hops down the front steps. Jean was supposed to be on stable duty today. Checking his pocket he made sure he still had the gift he’d managed to find tucked away. When he felt its familiar outline against the fabric he smiled and continued on his way.

Disappointment found him however when he managed to get there. There was no Jean in sight. A frown takes place of his previous smile as he looks around. It’s only then he takes note that Jean’s horse Daisy is also missing. With a quick look around it seems he’d finished his chores earlier than expected. That was unlike him. Having an inkling as to where he’d be though, Armin moves over to Maverick’s stall and gets him ready for a ride.

Then he’s off. He’s not sure why he didn’t just go and ask if someone knew where he was. Part of him just knew. Jean often went off by himself when he wanted time to think. Just wanted to get away. And he always went to the same spot. He’s careful as he directs Maverick through the small wooded area that surrounds them. The last thing he needed was to get his horse hurt as he tried to rush. Besides, it was only mid-afternoon. There was plenty of time to get Jean and get back in time for the small thing they’d all planned.

As he finally reached the hill, he slowed further, noting Daisy tied to a tree at the bottom. Sliding off Maverick, he walks over and ties him to the same tree. Gently, he pats both horses on the nose before starting up towards the top. Just as he’d thought, Jean sat with legs spread before him, his back against the trunk of the tree that sat there. Armin moves over, quietly pausing a few steps away.

“You only come here when something is on your mind.”

The voice jolts the other from whatever thoughts he’d been having and his head snaps up. When the face and voice finally register in his mind he relaxes again before slumping backwards.

“Yeah well...can’t blame me. Lot of stuff to think about these days.”

A hum escapes him before he settles down beside the other. His back presses against the trunk as well, eyes focused on a different part of the sky than Jean’s.

“Wanna talk about it?”

He doesn’t have to look to see that the other is looking at him. He can feel his eyes drilling into the side of his head. But he keeps his gaze upward. He won’t force Jean to talk. That never worked out well. But he didn’t want to make things awkward by staring if he did want to. After a few minutes there is a sigh accompanied with some shuffling.

“It’s jus’ that...I dunno. A lot of shit’s gone down recently. Ymir, Reiner, Bertholdt being titans. Reiner and Bertholdt being titans that have caused most of our shitty problems to begin with. Eren and Historia being kidnapped. The Survey Corps being turned into fugitives. We’ve only been in these positions for a few months and everything has gone from shit to shittier.”

Armin nods. It’s true of course. Three months into their service and everything had gone down the proverbial drain. Not that they could do much. Not only were they new to the Survey Corps, everything suddenly happening was new. Even the vets were out of their league with the stuff they were dealing with.

“Not to mention,” Jean continues, “it all falls around my damned birthday.”

“Yeah that’s...bad luck. To say the least.”

There’s a snort beside him and he turns his head to see Jean sporting a smile. His chest warms at the sight. When he’d arrived there’d been a ‘doom and gloom’ atmosphere surrounding the other. But seeing him smile meant that it would pass as did most things.

“Just because all that stuff happened though, doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate though.”

“Armin-”

“Don’t. Come on. You can’t let all my work go to waste, can you?”

He can’t help the small pout that forms, or the way his eyes widen just slightly. There’s a moment where Jean just sits, perfectly still as he stares at him. Then the tips of his ears go red and he reaches up and rubs at the back of his neck.

“I...suppose not.”

A grin replaces the pout. It’s an instantaneous reaction, one that he can’t help. He opens his mouth to say they should get going but then widens his eyes.

“Oh!”

He shifts, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulls out the small box he was carrying. Carefully, he holds it out.

“It’s not much. Our salary isn’t exactly huge. But I...wanted to get you something. You looked like you needed a new set.”

Curious, Jean takes the box, carefully lifting the lid before his mouth drops open. Charcoals. Actual charcoals. He hadn’t been able to find any since he’d left Trost the day he went for training. They had been a going away present from his mother and he’d been using the same set every since. Of course that was three years ago so he was down to his last miniscule pieces. He’d been avoiding drawing with them because he didn’t want to waste them.

“Armin, where…”

When he looks up Armin just smiles.

“I wanted to do something special. You deserve something nice, ya know?”

It takes a few moments for the shock to wear off. When it does Jean merely smiles. It’s small and softer than the one he usually sports. But it’s wonderful all the same.

“Armin, I-...thank you.”

The thanks causes Armin’s chest to grow warm again. It spreads through him and not for the first time recently does he want to reach over and press his lips to the others. A flush appears on his cheeks at the thought. There wasn’t time for something like that. Not with all the problems they were dealing with. Clearing his throat, he shifts and forces himself to stand up.

“Well uh- come on then! Everyone should be done with their chores and waiting for us back at HQ. We should get going.”

Jean nods, closing up his gift and placing it into his own jacket pocket before standing up as well. As they move to go down the hill, Armin feels the other close his fingers around his wrist. Pausing, he looks up to see him looking down as if contemplating something. His fingers feel like they are burning his skin where they meet but he doesn’t pull away. Instead he stands still, breathing shallow as he waits.

“I-...I meant it. Thank you. No one’s done something like that for me in a long time.”

The weight of his words come crashing down on the blond and it takes him a moment to remember how to make his mouth work. Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat he offers a small smile.

“Really...it was nothing. I meant it. You deserve something nice.”

He watches as Jean swallows and nods before slowly retracting his hand from the others. There’s a sudden coolness to the skin that makes Armin feel sad but he pushes it away. As he turns again to head down the hill, he can swear ‘you’re something nice’ being muttered under Jean’s breath. His face flushes all over again but he decides to not say anything. There wasn’t time to think of things like that. Walls did he wish there was though.

As the two hop onto their horses and head off back towards HQ, Armin turns one last time to Jean.

“Happy birthday, Jean.”

He gets a warm smile in return and then they both fall into silence. If nothing else, at least Armin knew that he’d made part of his birthday feel special.


End file.
